


Healing Springs

by loyalbloggerwhoshoots



Category: Captain America, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: CACW spoilers, Captain America: Civil War, M/M, Pietro is alive, Post CACW, Recovery, Wakanda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 18:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7450294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loyalbloggerwhoshoots/pseuds/loyalbloggerwhoshoots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve tries several different ways to help Bucky break free of the Winter Soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Healing Springs

**Author's Note:**

> This is an anniversary gift for my dear sputnxk. Come find me at http://rightisntalwayseasy.tumblr.com

Wanda dropped her hand in frustration. Throwing people was one thing, and even corrupting old memories into visions was easy, but she had never tried to erase damaging memories from someone’s mind, not even her own. She gave Steve an apologetic smile, and he gave her one in return. Bucky was lying on the bed in front of them, put under but not in cryo. Steve had lasted a month before he’d begged T’Challa to wake his friend up and at least give him his new vibration arm. “it's okay, Wanda. We knew this wouldn't be easy,” he told her, laying a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head, frustrated with her failure. “The newspapers were right,” she said in her thick accent (it always got thicker when she was upset. Steve had barely been able to understand her for the three weeks her brother Pietro had been in quarantine while he was healing from the gunshots he'd sustained in Sokovia. “I am only a machine of war and disaster,” she sighed. Steve took her in his arms, wrapping her in a tight hug, wishing they could let Pietro know they were okay. He was spending most of his time off the grid in Sokovia to help rebuild, however, and communications were limited. “Wanda, you are a part of this family, and not just a weapon. You're a person, and while your abilities are very much above average, you are still human,” he told her, kissing her brow. “If this doesn't work, we’ll find another way. There’s 70 years of HYDRA control in his mind. Removing a few deeply ingrained words of control isn't as easy as it sounds,” he told her, looking over to his friend in the bed. They were safe for now in Wakanda, so he gave the nod that brought the nurses forward who started the process to bring Barnes out of his medically induced coma.

 

A few hours later, Steve felt a presence come up and stand behind him, but before he could say anything in greeting, a cool vibranium arm came to sit on his shoulder and Bucky sat on his other side, leaning against him. “She couldn't do it, could she,” he said softly, looking out at the jungle that could be seen beyond the compound. “Not today, she couldn't. She's still coming back from being locked up in that underwater brig,” he sighed, letting his arm come around to hold Bucky around the waist. His friend let out a sigh of frustration and his hand clenched on Steve’s shoulder. “Buck, we knew this wasn't going to be easy. But I think it's better for you, for all of us, to try everything now, instead of locking you up and putting you on ice. He might still be inside you, but you are not the Soldier anymore,” he told Bucky, turning to look at him. “You're Bucky Barnes, and you're my friend, and that's all people need to know right now. Any one of us can be dangerous if put in the wrong situation.” “But none of you can lose your control and be used by someone else,” protested Bucky, looking at Steve sadly. Steve stared back at him, before an idea dawned on him. “Come on. I think you need to talk to someone,” he smiled, getting up and taking Bucky’s hand to help him up, but didn't release him as they started walking.

 

He led him to the apartment that Clint Barton was staying in with Wanda, and smiled when he saw the archer sitting on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. “You know there’s pretty good eating around here, Barton,” he said in way of greeting, grinning at his friend. “Yeah, but there’s Wakandans out there too. They keep trying to look at my hearing aids to see how quality they are. One of them actually told me they could get me better ones. I like the ones I got!” He crowed, sitting up to look at Bucky. “You need somethin’ from me, Cap?” He asked, looking over Barnes as if for a clue. Steve nodddd slowly before nudging Bucky forward. “If it's okay with you, I want you to talk about your experience with Loki, back in New York,” he said, feeling the air in the room change almost immediately. It had been a dark time for Clint, and he hated bringing it up. He was only grateful that Clint hadn't been the one to knife Coulson. Clint, who seemed to think about it for a minute or two, nodded slowly. “Ya wanna stick around for that, Cap?” He asked, and Bucky gripped his hand. Still, he pulled away, leaning over to give Bucky a small kiss on the cheek. “No. I think Bucky needs to hear it without me distracting him. I'm gonna go for a run, and I'll be back for dinner, okay?” he told them, giving Bucky a loving smile before he left the two snipers behind.

 

He was in the dining hall about an hour and a half later when Bucky took a seat next to him. He opened his mouth to ask him how it had gone with Clint, but Bucky shook his head, grabbing a roll and filling his plate before he chucked that same roll at Sam across the table, who hollered at him and threatened to start a food fight. T’Challa, who was eating with the group for once, nudged Sam in the side, who blushed, and went back to eating his food. Bucky grinned, and for the first time that day, Steve saw honest happiness in his friend’s eyes and let the subject go for now.

 

That night, he was getting ready for bed when he heard a knock at the door. He looked up and saw Bucky with his hair pulled back standing in the doorway. “Mind if I sleep with you tonight?” Steve nodded, slightly entertained that Bucky felt like he still had to ask that. 9 out of every 10 nights, they slept in the same bed, and had since arriving in Wakanda. They discovered pretty quickly that the nightmares were rarer when they weren't alone at night. He finished getting ready for bed and came back to the queen sized bed, getting in on the side Bucky wasn't sitting on. “How did the talk with Clint go?” He asked, once the lights were off. There was silence from the other side of the bed, until a light came back on about two long minutes later. “He helped. Told me it hurt at first, an’ you never really get rid of it, but it’s possible,” he murmured, looking up at the ceiling. Steve didn't try to turn the light off yet. “Yeah. It is, Buck.”

 

Another moment of silence stretched out between them, before Bucky spoke again. “You left me there. Why?” He asked, still staring at the ceiling. “Because you needed to hear what Clint had to say, and I didn't want to distract you.” “That kiss was distracting enough,” he muttered, holding onto the blankets. Steve had to think for a moment, before he remembered the kiss to the cheek he’d given Bucky. “I'm sorry?” He started before Bucky turned over suddenly in the bed, putting a metal finger on his lips. “Don't apologize. I didn't say it was bad. I just said it was distracting. You distract me,” he said, running his finger over Steve’s lip, and something in his eyes made Steve wonder why he hadn't said something sooner. His closeness with Bucky had been as much for Steve’s quality of mental health as Bucky’s, he thought and he couldn't help the sense of guilt that pervaded his heart at those words. “I don't need to be around you so much, if it's keeping you fro-” he said before Bucky leaned down and kissed him soundly, effectively silencing him. “You're so dumb, Rogers. Just accept a damn compliment,” he said when he was satisfied with the kiss, pulling away again before rolling over on his side.

 

Steve stared up at the ceiling, the mirror image of an earlier Barnes before he turned over on his side. “Did you just insult me before you complimented me?” He asked, scooting a little closer to dig his finger into Bucky’s side like he had when they were kids. Bucky grumbled and turned over to wrap an arm around Steve’s waist and kissed him again before turning Steve over and spooning him from behind. “Shut up Rogers. Go to sleep,” he muttered, his nose buried in Steve’s shoulder. Steve grinned and snuggled back against Bucky, excited for the possibilities of the morning.


End file.
